Californians sue over AI tool that records doctor visits

A group of Californians has initiated legal action against Sutter Health and MemorialCare, alleging that their privacy was compromised by an AI transcription tool used during medical visits. The class-action lawsuit, filed in federal court in San Francisco on Wednesday, claims that the AI system recorded their consultations without proper consent, breaching both state and federal regulations. The plaintiffs assert that they received medical services at various facilities operated by Sutter and MemorialCare in the last six months, during which staff employed Abridge AI for transcription. According to the lawsuit, the technology captured sensitive physician-patient discussions without providing adequate notification to patients regarding the recordings. The complaint highlights that the AI system transmitted these recordings, which included personally identifiable health information such as medical histories, symptoms, diagnoses, and treatment discussions, to third-party systems. This raises significant concerns about patient confidentiality and the handling of sensitive health data. Abridge’s AI services have seen widespread adoption across numerous healthcare providers, including Kaiser Permanente and the Mayo Clinic, raising questions about privacy practices in the industry.